Live-In Caregivers in Alma, AR: 24-Hour Home Care

Local figures

Live-In Caregivers in Alma, AR: the local picture

111

residents 85 or older (1.9% of all residents)

254

households headed by someone 65+ own their home (55%)

79%

of Alma homes have 3 or more bedrooms (74% in Crawford County)

$11.00

Arkansas minimum wage per hour

About 111 Alma residents are 85 or older. Live-in care is most often arranged for this age group, when help is needed through the day and someone should be close at night.

A live-in caregiver needs a private room. 79% of homes in Alma have three or more bedrooms (74% in Crawford County); the median home has 5.4 rooms.

Of Alma households headed by someone 65 or older, 254 own their home and 207 rent; among householders 85 and older it is 30 owners and 39 renters. Renters should check that the lease allows another adult to live in before anyone moves in.

Alma compared with Crawford County and Arkansas

Census figure	Alma	Crawford County	Arkansas
Residents 85 or older	1.9%	1.6%	1.8%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	44%	27%	29%
Residents 65+ with a disability	38%	40%	40%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	7.4%	8.5%	12%
Residents 65 or older	13%	18%	18%
Residents 5+ who speak a language other than English at home	2.3%	7.3%	8.3%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$26,549	$44,828	—

Older residents in towns around Alma

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
Van Buren, AR	8.4 mi	4,133	343
Barling, AR	12 mi	990	104
Fort Smith, AR	13 mi	14,381	1,843
Charleston, AR	17 mi	519	122
Roland, OK	17 mi	411	60
Greenwood, AR	19 mi	1,906	225

Emergency hospitals near Alma

Hospital with an emergency department	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Phone
Baptist Health - Van Buren	Van Buren, AR	6.9 mi	not rated	(479) 474-3401
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith	Fort Smith, AR	14 mi	3 of 5	(479) 314-6000
Baptist Health - Fort Smith	Fort Smith, AR	14 mi	2 of 5	(479) 441-4000

Straight-line miles from the center of Alma. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a live-in caregiver can help with

Help across the day: meals, housekeeping, personal care
Someone in the home overnight if help is needed
Medication reminders and appointment rides
Companionship and a steady routine

Cost

What live-in care costs in Alma

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.30 an hour (the Arkansas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,882 a month (130% of the $2,212 monthly median income of Alma households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,682 a month (438% of the $2,212 monthly median income of Alma households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see Medicaid programs for family caregivers: who can be paid, and the rules in 12 states.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a live-in caregiver

Put the arrangement in writing: hours on duty, sleep time, days off, the room and pay (federal rules: DOL Fact Sheet 79B).

Questions worth asking: Have you lived in with a client before, and for how long? What days off and sleep time do you need? How do you handle being woken at night? More in our live-in caregivers guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Live-In Caregivers in Alma: common questions

Where is the nearest emergency hospital to Alma?

Baptist Health - Van Buren in Van Buren, about 6.9 mi in a straight line from the center of Alma (Medicare hospital file). Its listed phone number is (479) 474-3401. In an emergency, call 911.

How much does live-in care cost in Alma?

Live-in pay is often agreed by the day or week, but every hour worked counts toward minimum wage. At $13.30 an hour (the Arkansas median aide wage), a live-in caregiver paid for 50 hours a week costs about $2,882 a month (130% of the $2,212 monthly median income of Alma households headed by someone 65+). Round-the-clock shift care, 168 paid hours a week across two or three caregivers, comes to about $9,682 a month (438% of the $2,212 monthly median income of Alma households headed by someone 65+). Private rates are agreed with the caregiver, and overtime rules can add to both. Arkansas's minimum wage is $11.00 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Live-in or 24-hour care in Alma?

A live-in caregiver sleeps in the home and has protected sleep and break time. 24-hour care uses two or three caregivers in shifts so someone is always awake; in Alma it costs more than three times as much a month (see the cost section above). Choose shifts if help is needed several times a night.

More near Alma

More senior care near Alma

Live-In Caregivers in nearby cities

Other care in Alma

More for Alma families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

Live-In Caregivers in Alma, AR